The Kingdom of Arendelle
by SmithRoberts
Summary: The Kingdom was wide and ruled with kindness by the royal family. Anna's father was the Lord of the North. Everything was perfect, until a visit to the castle would change their world forever. Anna had never met the young princess before. AU, Non-incest
1. A summons

**AN: Hey everyone, so this is my first fic ever, I hope you all enjoy :)  
I've planned for this to be fairly long, and will try to update as often as time will allow.  
Please do review, tell me what you think!**

**EDIT: I ended up re-uploading this chapter, there were a few parts which didn't quite coincide with what I had planned for the rest of the story, mainly in Elsa's bit at the end.**

**I don't own anything to do with frozen. **

**-Smithy**

* * *

Anna woke with a start as the sun slipped out from behind the top of a tree in the distance.

Blinking as the sun's rays burned holes in her corneas, she gracefully slid her upper body out over the side of the bed before landing with a thud as her legs came free of the covers.

A knock on the door snapped her out of her irritated muttering.

"Lady Anna?" came the voice of the staff through the door. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but Lord Henrik requests your presence in his study."

Lord Henrik Jörgen was in charge of all of the northern fiefs of Arendelle, King Alexander's closest friend, along with his most treasured role, young Anna's father. He performed his duties in the city of Belemere, the home town of the entire Jörgen family.

The Royal family had been friends with theirs for generations, and this one was no exception. A young Alex and Henry would play together as children, wooden swords clashing together as they ran through the vast corridors of the grand castle in the kingdoms capital. Henrik had been present during a young Alexander's coronation, and his wedding, the knight making frequent visits to his friend's home in the capital, and when the time came, the King and his new wife stood by proudly as Henrik was appointed the new Lord of Belemere.

Sighing, Anna scrambled to her feet to open the door, politely responding, "Thank you, I'll be with him shortly." Before closing the door a little too loudly for her sleep-addled brain and turned to face her room. As she padded over the smooth floorboards to her wardrobe, she wondered at what her father could have possibly summoned her for, and decided it was most probably to lecture her about the dangerous nature of her new archery lessons.

Pulling out a green summer dress and changing clothes she made her way to the door of her room before nearly tripping over her own feet once she caught her reflection in a mirror as she past. Tired eyes widening as she took in the state of her lion-like mane of bed hair, Anna scrambled to retrieve a brush from the dresser before her.

Huffing in frustration and eventually accepting the notion that her hair was not going to give in to her demands today, she tied it into two braids which hung in front of her shoulders, and left the room.

Anna smiled and greeted their few servants as she past them in the corridors of their modest home. Not a castle by any means, but a manor large enough to house those of their position. The family was well-liked by the serving staff, and in return the family treated them as friends, many of them watching Anna's bubbly spirit grow and follow her from childhood to her early adult years.

She knocked and entered her father's study, a small frown of confusion sparking her smooth face as she found it devoid of life.

Assuming he had taken his leave for a bathroom break, Anna made her way over to the large window which took up the majority of the wall on the far side of the room, and had breathtaking view of the surrounding town and countryside. Looking past the bustling streets of Belemere, she could see the rolling grassy hills which led far off into the distance to the white capped mountains in the north. The Northern Mountains served as a border for her father's lands. For anyone's lands really. The men and women of Arendelle feared those mountains; no-one ever dared go near them.

Anna had heard stories of giant ice monsters and wolves which left chills running down the length of her spine.

Her lessons in geography had not gone to waste, and even though Anna hated them endlessly and her tutor tried her hardest to avoid the tidal wave of pranks sent her way by the young lady, Anna knew from studying maps of the entire kingdom that to the west of her homestead lay Stonegate, a valley made up entirely of large rocks and boulders. To continue south from there you would reach Weselton, home to the Duke of Weselton, a tiny man with a toupee almost as fake as his friendship with her father. He was tolerated however, as his knowledge of trade was insurmountable. Further South from here, past the southern coast of the nation, sat the Southern Isles and a handful of small fishing villages.

On the coast directly east of Weselton lay the fjord that guarded the kingdoms capital city. Arendelle's capital is where King Alexander and Queen Helena reside, with their two children, Erik and Elsa. Despite the royal family being close family friends of theirs, there was one member who remained somewhat of an enigma to Anna.

Elsa.

To be fair Anna had seen the girl a handful of times, but only at a distance and usually involved Elsa ducking away into her room without a word.

Even those few instances had been years ago, when Elsa and herself were only small children, and Anna found herself wondering at what the girl would look like now, after all those years of growing up.

Prince Erik had always been very kind to her, and would often offer tours of the castle or rides on horseback, which she sometimes accepted, even though the one she really wanted to hang out with remained locked away inside the castle. Not that she didn't enjoy the prince's company, she just felt that she would rather spend her time running around with the young princess instead.

The door opening behind her broke her from her musings, and she turned to face the form of her father entering with a sheepish look on his face.

"Sorry to keep you, I hope you weren't waiting too long?"He inquired.

"Not at all," Anna responded with a small smile.

Anna sighed inwardly as she took in the sagging lines of the man's face. The past few months proving difficult for the whole of her family, but the passing of her mother had affected him worst. He stood by silently as the fever finally took her last breaths, and had become almost reclusive in the days and eventually weeks after the funeral. Everyone had their own ways of grieving, she supposed as she reached the closet and began rifling through her clothes.

_He's better now though_. Despite his earlier state, her father had eventually returned to his post, without however, that familiar light behind his eyes.

Her brother Kristoff, wasn't so successful in his recovery. Stealing away like a common thief in the night on the night their mother had taken ill, he wasn't even present when she had succumbed to the sickness.

They hadn't heard from him since.

"I summoned you here to tell you that we are leaving tomorrow," Anna's father explained. "Alex and Helen are holding a party for Erik, he's coming of age in a few days."

* * *

The journey was long arduous, but the procession had finally reached the outskirts of the familiar city. As they reached the top of the incline, the fjord came into view. Blue, glistening water spanning for miles gave way to the walls protecting the fjord, and Castle Arendelle situated on a tiny island, connected to the rest of the town by multiple bridges over the water.

The scene was stunning to say the least. Anna often envied the royal family for their proximity to the ocean, Belemere being located about as in-land as you could get.

The journey to castle was long and winding, but the town was beautiful, so Anna didn't mind. When passing the town centre, some citizens were even able to greet her by name, as they had sold bread and other assorted goods to her during past visits. Anna and her father crossed the wide bridge to castle and greeted the guards waiting to open the gates at the other end. The King and Queen had become rather protective over the years, and rarely left the gates open to anyone any more, save for parties and other events where security could be doubled just in case.

Henrik and Anna had never learned the reasons for this precaution, and had never really asked, as they were welcome inside the castle at any time. The series of tall gates opened in succession as he Lord of the north passed through with his family, and Anna cracked a grin as she laid eyes on the small group awaiting their arrival on the other side.

Standing with equally wide smiles were the King and Queen and Prince Erik, along with their two closest servants, Kai and Gerda. Anna frowned slightly at the glaring absence of the fourth member of the family.

"Alexander!" Henrik practically bellowed across the courtyard. He swung over the side of his horse with all the grace of an elephant, before stepping before his childhood friend and embracing him.

"It's wonderful to see you Henry," the King replied warmly.

Anna could feel a pair of eyes on her as watched the men begin catching up on each other's activities and swivelled to face a much taller Prince Erik smiling at her shyly. The boy had very much grown into a man in her absence, where once puppy fat and flawless skin was, there now were chiselled jawbones and minor scars nestled into the man's skin. His hair matching Elsa's in blondness, along with same shockingly blue eyes she remembered adorned the other girls face. Anna had to admit, Erik had become quite a handsome young man.

"It's great to see you too Anna," Erik beamed.

"And you, Erik. How have you been?" Anna replied with a small smile gracing her lips.

"Fantastic," Erik answered as he reached for Anna's hand and kissed it on the back.

Anna's cheeks coloured slightly before she retrieved her hand, and the two chatted as they headed off into the castle together, with Kai and Gerda following wordlessly behind, knowing smiles sent at each other.

Later that evening, Anna was shown to her quarters by one of the castle staff, who she thanked with a smile before entering to find her luggage already situated by the dresser. She flopped down backwards on the bed with a content sigh. The rest of the day had been rather lovely, Erik showing her the various renovations completed on the castle in the time she'd been gone, the two laughing and catching up on lost time.

Any sign of the princess however, was lost on Anna.

* * *

Elsa was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She had narrowly avoided dinner with a flimsy excuse about being tired after riding all day, which she was, but probably not enough to miss the chocolate cake dessert she knew they had served tonight.

Really, it was because of Anna.

She had always admired younger girl, and had wanted so badly to introduce herself as children so they could play together. But at the discovery of her powers, the King and Queen ordered that she teach herself control before she was allowed to interact with others for their own safety. And so she did, she spent hours teaching herself the control and skill she had today, and her parents couldn't have been prouder if they tried.

The truth was that Elsa was nervous. What if Anna resented her for shutting her out all those years ago, and didn't want to see her? Regardless the King and Queen left her there, accepting her excuses and left to greet their guests.

Elsa did watch though, from a window high up in her quarters.

She stood there stunned and the auburn-haired girl greeted the rest of her family. Her height and hair length nearly doubled since she last saw her. Long graceful limbs moved to greet her family with a smile that sent little butterflies abuzz in Elsa's stomach. She was beautiful. _What?_

Elsa sat back from the windowsill as confusion knotted her eyebrows. What am I _thinking?_

She leaned forward again to peer out at the exchange, eyes narrowing at Erik's actions. _What is he doing?_ She watched the two disappear into the castle and returned to her bed after a moment.

Shaking her head as though to clear her thoughts, she resolved to ask him about it tomorrow, before the party.


	2. Coming of Age

**AN: Hey everyone, Heres chapter 2!**

**I decided that the first chapter felt a bit rushed and resolved to calm down a bit for this one. If you hadn't noticed, I did make a few minor changes to the last chapter, mainly in Elsa's bit at the end, because it didn't quite line up with all the planning I've been up to. **

**Many thanks for the favs/follows/reviews, I love to hear what you all think :)**

**I don't own frozen, enjoy!**

**-Smithy**

* * *

Queen Helena felt positively elated as she purposefully strolled through the castle the following morning. Sunlight streaming through the windows at her side, the usual hum of castle activity turned up to a dull roar as the preparations for her son's coming of age event were taking place.

Although this wasn't her first child to reach this many years of age, Elsa was a year older than Erik, she still maintained her pride at her sons accomplishment. The excitement also stemming from the undeniable fact that the queen had quite a penchant for any social event, and Elsa never let them pull anything this grand for her birthday last year, instead choosing to take part in a small family feast for the four of them.

Which was nice too, she supposed.

Helena was honestly a little puzzled by Elsa's actions of late. She was ecstatic when Elsa revealed to them that she had her powers under control, and even began making friends with a few young lords and ladies who visited their home on occasion. Alexander had even agreed to open the gates for good in celebration, and the King and Queen planned to release this information to the public later this evening at Erik's ball.

However, since the arrival of their old friends from the north, Elsa had been acting decidedly off. Firstly, when she wouldn't join the rest of their family in the courtyard to greet their guests earlier yesterday, then later on, when the girl neglected to show up to dinner.

Helena continued through her train of thought as she moved through the corridors, and was snapped harshly back to reality when her face collided with another's as she rounded a corner.

"Oh! My apologies your Majesty, I was just coming to find you."

"That's fine, Gerda. What is it you need?" the Queen replied as she rubbed the small lump forming at her hairline with a grimace.

"Just to let you know that all the ball preparations are in order. Is there anything else you need me to attend to before this evening?" Gerda answered.

"Yes, actually, along with assisting Elsa getting ready for this evening, I need you to look after Lady Anna as well, if that's not too much trouble, we're actually a little short staffed due to the preparations."

"Not at all your majesty, does she have an gown planned already?"

"Yes, actually, it arrived this morning from Corona."

"Coronian is it? I'm sure Prince Erik will love that," Gerda added with a smirk. Gowns from their allied country were all of the highest quality, almost like works of art.

"Erik?"

"They just seemed to be getting close yesterday your Majesty, perhaps there's something going on there we don't know about?"

The Queen's eyebrow rose at this new piece of information.

* * *

Anna couldn't help but fidget in her place as she waited with her father to be announced to the crowd. She just wanted to go_ in_. Balls weren't common in the north, in fact this was the first time she'd ever attended a social event of this magnitude. Apparently they had to wait for the song to finish.

"Lord Henrik and his daughter, Lady Anna of Belemere," Kai's voice rang clear through the room as they stepped through the doors and Anna couldn't help but smile and give a tiny wave to the crowd before them, who gave them a mild applaud in return, one lady even waved back with a laugh.

Anna's eyes scanned the crowd as they descended from the small raised platform at the front of the room. She was able to recognise a few of the guests in the room, a few of these she greeted as she made her way through the throng of people. The Duke of Weselton and who she assumed to be his family stopped and chatted with her father for a few minutes, along with various other Lords and Ladies from all over Arendelle. Most of this was business discussion however, and Anna found herself tuning out the boring talk. Anna wondered with a small frown if the Princess would decide to show up this evening, as she had been suspiciously absent from dinner yesterday as well, and seemed to be doing everything in her power to avoid her like the plague once again.

She grabbed her father's arm and tugged in the direction she saw the King and Queen with a few guests she hadn't met before. On closer inspection, she realised one of the men was in fact the Lord of the Southern Isles. She didn't catch the nudge the Queen sent her husband's way as she saw Anna approaching.

"There you two are!" King Alexander smiled warmly, "I would like to introduce you to Lord Ragnvald, of the Southern Isles, and one of his sons, Hans." The King introduced the two northerners accordingly, and stood back as the separate parties shook hands, Anna reaching for Hans' who shook it with a wide smile.

"Lovely to meet you both," the young man responded. The group continued to talk and laugh for quite a while. Anna quickly discovered that the younger man of the southern Isles was nothing like his father, and was actually pleasant to talk to. Their conversation continued until a final announcement from Kai halted Anna mid-story.

"Princess Elsa, of Arendelle."

Anna swung around to face the front of the room and stumbled a little in her haste, which was not made easier to recover from as her breath was ripped from her throat.

She continued to stare dumbly and wide-eyed as the crowd applauded the late entrance of their princess. Elsa gave a small smile before stepping down to greet some of the other dignitaries.

_She actually came. _

She's _so_ beautiful.

Even from a distance Anna could tell that time had been _very_ kind to Elsa. Long platinum-blonde hair tied up in an intricate bun, figure hugging green and black dress that left Anna's eyes trailing downwards until a small cough from Hans broke her from her reverie.

Blinking and remembering how to breathe Anna span back around and gave Hans a small smile before apologising and finishing her story.

Eventually the music started up louder and couples began to take their place at the centre of the room to dance. At this point Erik decided to make himself known and offered Anna her first dance, which she graciously accepted.

As they moved to open space in the middle of the room, Anna realised that this was one of those dances where you changed partners. And of course this wasn't a problem, until she saw Elsa lining up with her mother as her first partner.

Erik followed Anna's line of sight and laughed. "Father never really liked dancing, but Elsa can dance the male part too so she often offers to dance with our mother because she enjoys it so much."

Anna gulped as she realised what that meant.

The dance began and all of the couples began to move around the room. Erik held her at a respectable distance and the two chatted idly for a bit until Anna was spun off to the next young gentleman in her path.

The dance was nearing a close when Anna span around and very nearly fell into a pair of gorgeous blue eyes. If she had thought Elsa looked beautiful from across the room, up close she was nothing short of stunning.

Trying very hard to make her feet keep moving in time with the music, Anna placed her hand on Elsa's shoulder as Elsa's gloved fingers found the spaces between the other. The hand on her waist pulled her close as they took off with the rest of the dancers. Very close. Their noses nearly touching.

_Say something! _

"Hi," Anna squeaked out.

Elsa's usually stoic expression cracked a small smile. "Hey."

"So uhh, cool party huh?" Elsa chuckled.

"Yeah, you could say that. Smells really nice in here," she added.

"Like chocolate" Anna responded with a grin and they both laughed.

The two danced in silence for a moment before Anna realised reluctantly that it was time to switch partners.

Elsa didn't quite have that in mind. Instead she chose to hold on to Anna's hand as she span out, and spin her back in again to continue the dancing, leaving a small commotion before the guest behind them skitted forward to the frightened looking man in front of them.

Anna laughed and the two exchanged some more polite conversation before the dance ended for good and the two girls bowed to each other.

"You know," Elsa began before Anna could turn to leave."I know where the chef hides the really good chocolate."

Anna must have been grinning like a maniac when she replied. "Let's go."

* * *

And that was that. Chocolate being the catalyst, it was as though the two girls were suddenly the best of friends, bonding over stealing their shared favourite treat.

Once out in the halls, the two girls scurried through the corridors, giggling and hiding from the few guests they found roaming the halls. They were nearly caught out when Lord Hans strode around the corner on his way back to the ballroom but Elsa managed to drag them behind a door jutting out into the hallway.

The older girl held stock still as they waited for Hans to pass, her heart picking up when she realised how close they were standing. When she had pulled them into the improvised hiding spot, she had grabbed Anna by the shoulders and pulled her into herself as she ducked behind the door, and now they stood in a rather compromising position with their bodies nearly flush against one other.

Hans passed and the two remained in silence, no-one moving a muscle in their frozen position with their eyes locked on each other.

"The kitchens are this way," Elsa stated in a low voice before removing herself from in between the door and Anna, feeling her heart attempt to return to a healthy pace and failing when she peeked sideways and saw the light blush dusting Anna's cheeks. Elsa led them the rest of the way down to the kitchens in a comfortable silence as both girls thought over what just transpired.

When they arrived at the entranceway to the kitchens Elsa placed a finger on her lips as the universal 'be quiet' sign, and slipped into the kitchens and behind a counter as the cook's back was turned.

Peeking around the corner, Anna saw her chance and sprinted over to the safe zone just before the cook turned around again. Elsa pointed to a small cupboard on the other side of the walkway to their position, meaning to get there they had to expose themselves right into the cook's line of sight. Luckily Elsa thought this through and silently pointed over to where a stack of pots sat on the bottom shelf on the opposite side of the room. Anna understood and moved to a place she could reach them, Elsa ready to make the dash to the chocolate cupboard.

Throwing final smiles at one another, Elsa counted down from three on her fingers before Anna tipped the pots onto the floor, causing a loud distraction for the cook. The older girl then dashed forwards, ripped open the cupboard, retrieved the package, and made the home sprint to the exit.

Anna wasn't so lucky.

In her haste she managed to knock down several utensils off the counter top they were hiding behind and the cook looked up just in time to see Anna sprinting from the room with Elsa on her heels.

"Oi! Get back here!"

* * *

After finally losing the cook, two girls laughed as they sat on the rooftop of the castle, Anna and Elsa enjoyed their spoils as they continued to talk for nearly an hour about anything they could think of. Eventually the chatting died down and all that could be heard was the sound of the shore nearby as the girls gazed at the stunning reflection of the moon on the ocean.

"I wish it could be like this all the time," Anna broke the silence with her hopeful remark and turned to look into the eyes of the wonderful person beside her.

"Maybe it can," Elsa responded with a small smile as she caught the movement of Anna's lips as she smiled in response. Eyes widened as she realised now those lips were moving closer to hers as Anna lightly pressed her lips against her own before pulling back nervously.

Fire erupted inside her and her hands found the back of Anna's neck as she pulled the younger girl in again.

And again.

She briefly wondered what on earth she was doing.

But when Anna deepened the kiss even further, Elsa realised with a groan that she couldn't bring herself to care.

* * *

Later that evening, between the grassy hills outside of Belemere, a rogue man with cropped red hair and a scar running the length from his eyebrow to chin caught the small piece of parchment dropped by a messenger bird.

His grin nearly split his face in two.

"Burn it to the ground."


	3. Armoured

**AN: Hi all! I apologize for how long this took, assessment week and everything piled up a bit, all fine now though :)**

**Enjoy the chap! I don't own frozen.**

**-Smithy**

* * *

Breakfast was interesting, to say the least. Elsa had decided to be present for the first meal since their arrival, as well as managing to situate herself directly across from Anna, who was blushing into her omelettes.

She couldn't believe that yesterday had even happened, maybe it was all a dream? The extended eye contact received from Elsa when she thought it was safe to glance upwards proved her otherwise. The two had gone from barely acquaintances to dance partners, to accomplices, to friends to… Well that's just it isn't it? Anna had no idea where their relationship even stood at this point. After acquainting herself with Elsa's lips for a little longer the queen had eventually broken away with a smile before pointing out the late hour and offering to walk her back to her room for the night.

Her feelings for Elsa had surprised her more than anything. Just being around the older girl had left Anna feeling elated, and throughout the whole endeavour she couldn't keep the smile off her face. The princess had awoken something wonderful that she had never experienced before, and she lay in bed for ages after Elsa left just thinking over everything to do with the princess. Kissing her had been… indescribable. The soft feeling of Elsa's lips against her own making her head swim and core knot. She hadn't the slightest as to what gave her the courage to be sold bold, but Anna was for certain glad that she had.

So now here they were, all mischievous glances and longing stares. Also present at the table was Anna's father, the King and Queen, and Erik. The King and her father appeared to be deep in conversation, and were talking in hushed tones at the far end of the table, away from the prying ears of the rest of the group. Erik and his mother were engaged in a much lighter topic, discussing Erik's new responsibilities now that he was of age and how he was to assist in the running of the kingdom.

Both parties didn't appear to notice the relative silence in which Elsa and Anna continued their breakfast.

In addition, the Queen continued to glance suspiciously towards Anna and Erik, futilely attempting to pick up on any indication that the two were in any way involved. Little did she know her concerns were directed at the wrong child entirely. Anna caught her eye a couple of these times and sat perplexed at the Queen's behaviour. _What if she knows?_

At the thought Anna almost started to panic, after all relationships such as there's were not hugely accepted amongst the townsfolk throughout the kingdom, let alone between two people of nobility. What if the Queen was furious? Banished them?

Part of her knew all of this was absurd, the Royal family were their friends, and they would never do any such thing. Another part of her knew that the Queen probably had no idea what happened and this was all in her head. But what if she did? Anyone could have seen them, they were on a roof for heaven's sake! What if she forced Elsa to stop seeing her? Anna remembered with a sigh that she wasn't actually_ seeing_ Elsa at all, she had not made any sort of commitment towards Anna and may not ever want to.

That one troubled her the most.

On top of all this the cook came in to ask about the meal and cast the two girls a withering look on his departure.

Yes, breakfast was interesting, to say the least.

Eventually the two families finished their meals and began to disperse towards their own daily activities.

"Anna."

Anna whirled around at the sound of her name and stood before her father. "Yes?"

"May I have a word while we walk?" Anna nodded in agreement and the small family started from the room. "Alexander and I have got to thinking, and thought maybe we should extend this trip for a while longer. We aren't certain when another chance to visit will come around."

Anna's mind whirled at the question, she was so caught up in what was going to happen that she forgot she actually had to _leave_. Back up to the north with its wide fields and irritating tutors to contend with. She decided that she much preferred it here, in the hustling bustling capital city with so many new places to explore and people to meet.

_And lovely princesses to sneak around with._

"Sounds wonderful, I really love it here, papa." Anna replied sincerely.

Henrik nodded his understanding with a smile. "I'm not entirely sure how long, a few weeks more at most, I must return to my duties eventually. I'll send a messenger to inform home of our extended trip."

The eye roll he received put a dent between his eyebrows. "Papa, why can't you just use the pigeons, instead of sending the poor fellow on foot?"

The Lord's scowl deepened. "Don't trust the bloody things."

* * *

Anna was wandering around the halls later that day when a familiar pair of sideburns approached her.

She had wanted to find Elsa and talk to her, but found out that she had lessons away from the castle until the evening, so instead she found herself wandering the castle looking for something to do. This is where she now found herself, the young auburn-haired lord's steps quickly carrying him towards Anna herself.

"Lady Anna," Hans greeted with a smile which Anna returned. She had enjoyed talking to the man yesterday, and when he moved to walk alongside her she once again found herself slipping into comfortable conversation with the southerner. Hans talked about his distain at being the last of the thirteen children in his family, and Anna laughed and told him about her relationship with Kristoff, and his crazy reindeer which he sometimes teasingly stated was a better sibling than Anna.

Anna seemed to have found a new friend in Hans, and he appeared to feel the same. She was glad he did not appear to show any interest in becoming anything more than friends, especially after what happened with Elsa yesterday evening. They continued through the halls of the castle for a time before Hans excused himself to his own quarters, leaving Anna once again looking for something to entertain herself with.

She glanced around the corridor, trying to come up with something to do until Elsa was due to return to the castle. Her eyes stopped dead in their tracks. Anna glanced down each end of the hall she stood in before making her way to suits of armour diligently guarding the castle walkways. A small grin lit up her face as she reached the armour of her choice.

Anna wanted so badly to try it on. It was somewhat of a dream of hers, to get out and explore the kingdom, to go on adventures and face wild creatures and meet new people. She was almost jealous of Kristoff, despite not know where he was, he was free to do what he wanted and go where he pleased. _If he's still alive_, an unwelcome character added in her brain. Her recent archery lessons were a product of these thoughts. Henrik, of course, disliked all of these aspirations, and urged her to continue her studies.

Also it looked really fun to wear.

Mind already made, she pulled the suit off its stand and began pulling on the pieces over her clothes, frowning when she realised the long dress she wore would cause an issue. Checking her surroundings a second time, she pulled off the armour she had already adorned, her dress quickly thrown off in succession. Anna quickly pulled the armour back over her underclothes once again, and was glad of the chainmail to cover the gaps in the metal plates.

Grinning, she finished off the outfit with the helmet and stood at attention. Grabbing the sword she began marching up and down the hall, stopping every now and then to take a swing at some invisible enemy. Anna hadn't realised how heavy the thing was, and struggled to move around with the finesse she had seen soldiers possessed in the amour. Eventually the weight became too much and her armoured face hit the floor with a loud clang.

With a groan Anna pushed the helmet visor upwards in her position on the floor and was met with a pair of ice blue shoes.

"Anna?" Elsa exclaimed before stifling a giggle. "What on earth are you doing?"

Anna scrambled to her feet as best as she could before the visor slammed shut over her eyes and she careened backwards in shock. She felt something hard halt her fall at her back as her arms flailed as wildly as they could within the restrictions of the suit. Elsa grabbed her shoulders and righted her standing position before lifting the visor with barely concealed laughter.

She took in Anna's blushing face as she held the visor up to prevent it from falling again, and realised once again how close to one another they were standing. Unlike last night however, Elsa accepted the proximity and leaned in further to meet Anna's lips with her own.

It was short and sweet, and Elsa leaned back far too quickly for Anna's liking. Anna watched as Elsa eyes opened slowly with a content smile before her eyes flickered to something on the ground behind her.

Anna turned around and blushed hard.

"Is that your..?"

Anna's dress lay in a crumpled heap by the wall. "Yeah, uhm, I just wanted to try on the armour and the dress wouldn't fit in it and.." Anna's speech petered off in embarrassment and she took off her helmet to cool down her face a bit.

Elsa walked over and picked up the dress from the floor, knowing full well that Anna wouldn't be able in the clanky suit. "Perhaps we should have one made for you, you do look rather dashing under all that helmet hair," Elsa commented with a smirk.

Anna's hand flew to her head and felt the matted mess her hair had become in the short time playing in the suit. Elsa chuckled and stepped closer.

"Relax, you look beautiful."

Anna put the helmet back on anyway.

The girls walked in relative silence back to Anna's room so she could change. That was until Anna broke the silence.

"Elsa," she paused, wanting to be careful with her words. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," the princess replied softly.

"Well I… are we?... I mean… do you?" Elsa's raised eyebrow urged her to continue.

"What are we?"

Elsa noted Anna's hands wringing together and nervous stature before answering. "Well I'd like to think we're a little more than friends."

"Really?" Anna looked up hopefully and straight into Elsa's blue eyes. "I mean, what about other people? Won't they care?"

"Other people don't have to know for now, and I'm willing to take the risk." Anna grinned as Elsa stepped forward and grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers like the first night they met. Last night. So much had changed since then.

Footsteps around the corner caused them to break away from each other and continue down the hall in silence, matching small smiles adorning their faces.

* * *

Late the next day, the young messenger boy gratefully entered the outskirts of the town of Belemere. Yesterday the Lord of the north had asked him to send word of their extended visit to their hometown, luckily the young stable boy had lent him a horse so he was able to make the journey in far less time than usual. _Just over the next hill_, he thought to himself, _then a warm bed for the night_.

But as he approached the town he noticed something was off, and his heart sank as he took in the great pillars of smoke snaking upwards towards the heavens. Galloping the rest of the way over the small rise, the messenger stopped short at the sight before him. Devoid of life, the town before him lay in wreck. Many buildings still ablaze, the rest reduced to rubble.

At the top of the small castle in the heart of the city, an unfamiliar flag of maroon and dark blue flew with pride.


	4. Oblivious

**AN: Hi everyone! Apologising profusely for how late this is, I hope the extra length makes up for this.  
Thank you all again for the support this story has received so far, you're all wonderful.  
Please do leave a review, I absolutely love to hear what you all think!  
Enjoy :-)**

* * *

The young man gasped in terror as he took in the state of the town before him. It was devastated. _Who could have done this?_ Eyes straining through gusts of smoke, he managed to make out little movement aside from the occasional piece of cloth moving in the afternoon breeze. Deciding to investigate further, he began down the steady path towards the gates.

Deciding it would be wise to leave the steed away from the debris and the small patches of remaining fires, he chose a small section of fence which had been spared by the attackers to tether the horse to. Satisfied with his handiwork, the messenger stood back and turned to face the entrance to the Northern city.

They hung wide open, metal and wood dented and bruised through some great display of power. He crept in through the entrance, hyperaware of the danger able to present itself from within the ravaged town.

That's when the stench hit him.

He held his stomach as he took in the state of guards which once protected the great town's entrance. Crumpled in their posts they lay, innards dashed out and meeting the pavement in red. The messenger boy clenched his jaw and turned his face away.

Making his way through the small town only proved to add to his sorrows. Familiar businesses and family homes with their doors kicked in and goods stolen. Some even damaged far beyond repair. With a heavy heart he passed the shop of the local tailor's. The elderly man who ran the store was a friend of his own, and had shown him great kindness whenever his work brought him to Belemere. Once, he had even offered the boy a bed to sleep in for the night, to delay his return to the capital city during a particularly viscous thunderstorm. Curiosity bending his will, he entered the small establishment through the small door which once protected its entrance.

Holding his breath as he entered each room in turn, the messenger boy carefully checked through each room of the downstairs store, and then the small living quarters located on the second floor. He hoped beyond hope that he would find no trace of his friend, as he did with the guards.

Each room showed signs of a break in, however none of the old man who worked here. Chairs and tables lay strewn across the floor in disarray, and he sighed at the empty racks and shelves which were once packed with perfectly tailored goods. Once satisfied that this was the case, he quietly left the premises with the knowledge that the old man had escaped somehow.

The young man stood in the middle of street as he contemplated his next move. Obviously he had to return and inform the royals of the state of the northern city; however he wished he could report with more information about the assailants. The deep colours of the flag now flying above the head household's rooftop were unfamiliar. He was not aware of any fiefs within his home kingdom which sported such colours, or even those of other countries whose dignitaries he himself had had the task of delivering messages to. Puzzlement scrawled across his face, he thought over the possibility of furthering his investigation deeper within the city, but logic won out in the end and turned his path back towards the town gates.

He reasoned that once occupied, one would not simply leave their new city on its own for very long, perhaps there was a presence guarding the city he was not yet aware of.

These thoughts on his mind, he whispered a silent prayer to the men lost within the city, retrieved his horse from its tether, and left.

His pace quickened and an icy vice clutched at his heart when the tops of spears and the sound of clattering of hooves rose over the tip of the hill in the distance.

* * *

Erik sat relaxed in his chair as he awaited his mother in her study. She had called him here for a meeting earlier, and was yet to arrive herself. He wouldn't be surprised if she had become distracted somehow, and knew how scatter-brained his mother could sometimes become in her work. She would often abandon tasks in the pursuit of others as they became apparent in her mind. So he waited good-naturedly, knowing she would eventually remember her request and join him.

The prince took the time to think over the events of the past few days. His stomach churned nervously as he thought about the fact that he now played a part in running the kingdom, and the heavy load of responsibility swiftly deposited onto his young shoulders as a result.

Erik was glad of the recent arrival of their friends from the north, and was happy to hear that they had extended their trip for a while longer, especially as it allowed him more time to spend in Anna's company. The young girl was exactly as he remembered, a small smile touching his features as he remembered the funny antics of his childhood friend. How she would start a tale and not finish until every stop in her train of thought had been reached in exuberant detail, and how when they walked through the castle grounds her feet would lose the ground more often than they would find it.

He noticed that his own face was still stuck with a dopey smile and came to the realisation of just how much the lady's presence affected him. The prince was aware that he had somewhat developed feelings for the redhead, but continued to find himself at awe as to how much brighter she made his day without even trying. He had even told Elsa so. On the afternoon before his coming of age ball, she had approached him in the halls and questioned him about his actions towards the visiting family.

* * *

"_But you kissed her hand," Elsa stated with a raised eyebrow and corresponding smirk. Erik had only been walking the halls towards the restroom when his sister had appeared out of nowhere and bombarded him with questions. He had to admit, it was almost out of character for his older sister to be acting in such a fashion. Her usual composure was just slightly out of whack as she grilled him on the topic of their new house guests._

"_I don't see how in any way that pertains to me possessing feelings for Lady Anna." Erik denied for the third time. He knew that Elsa had in fact figured him out but he wasn't quite ready to relent to her questioning just yet. _

"_Of course it does," she turned from her position walking astride him to block his path with a stare. "Just tell me," she added, squinting her eyes at her brother in an effort to stare the answers out of his mind. _

_After a moment of silence Erik finally gave in. "Fine." He sighed and continued walking down the corridor. "I believe I may have… developed some sort of feelings towards Lady Anna." The prince stated. He waited with bated breath through the duration of his older sister's silence, heart hammering away in anticipation. _

"_I see." Erik's head whipped sideways as her response. That was it? After all her efforts on the matter she gives him a miniscule two word response completely devoid of emotion. Now he really was concerned for his sister's sanity. She appeared to be deep in thought for a moment before adding, "I knew it." The triumphant smirk which then graced her features snapped Erik out of any illusion he had created regarding his sister's change in personality. It was Elsa again. Erik rolled his eyes in exasperation. _

_Elsa turned and left in the opposite direction without another word._

* * *

Erik was snapped out of his thoughts by his mother striding into the room and delicately placing herself down in the chair across from his own. He shot upwards from the back of his chair, back ram-rod straight and chin level as his mother pulled her chair in towards the vast wooden desk between them.

"Erik I'm so very sorry…" his mother began before a wave of his hand quietened her apology.

"It's fine mother, I didn't mind waiting," the prince replied in a placating tone. He knew that his mother would stress about her actions if not put at ease. "What is it that you'd like to discuss?"

The Queen smiled at her son gratefully before clasping her hands together on the desk's surface in front of her and taking a deep breath in preparation. "Over the past few days we have had many discussions about the various duties you will need to fulfil as a part of being an of-age member of the royal family. Many of which you have already taken on board, I commend you for this Erik, and you are making your father and I very proud," she continued with a rewarding smile, "however there is one matter which we are yet to discuss." His mother's face changed at this, and she looked as though she was attempting to find the words for her next request. "As the first male child of the royal family it falls to you to take the throne should anything happen to your father and I, because of this it also your responsibility to take a bride who is fit to rule the kingdom. I have been discussing with your father along with a few other dignitaries and I think that we have found someone who may be perfect."

Erik was shocked. His eyes flitted around the room rapidly as he took in the information his mother had given him. Not only was he suddenly aware of the expectations to find a bride on himself, but he was expected to endure an _arranged marriage._ He had always assumed he would meet a girl on his own and fall in love, not be forced into a ceremony with someone whom he had barely met.

His eyes met his mother's again before asking, "who is she?"

"Lady Anna." There was a long silence. "I can tell you know, that you care for her."

Erik groaned and dropped his face into his hands. "I know, mother, I'm not ashamed to admit that I have developed feelings for her," his voice was muffled by his palms and he raised it again in order to be heard by the older woman. "But I still wouldn't wish this on her by force."

"You don't know she doesn't feel the same way."

"I don't know she does, and I'd rather give her the chance to find out herself rather than push things in this way," Erik was growing angry at this point, as much as he wanted Anna he knew it was immoral to simply take her hand without her own consent. He wished to court her, have her fall in love with him the natural way without all of this pressure placed around them.

"It's too late; I've already asked her father. He would think it rude to back out now without giving a proper reason, which I am yet to hear from you," the Queen paused to cast a sympathetic look towards her only son, "It's been, decided Erik, I'm sorry."

"Has she been informed yet?"

"No, her father planned to tell her within the day." Erik nodded his understanding, and rose to his feet in defeat.

"Is there anything else you wished to discuss?" He asked solemnly, wanting nothing but to escape from the room.

"No, that is all." The prince nodded once again before leaving the room in silence.

* * *

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the castle, Elsa was caught by surprise as a small hand wrapped around her wrist out of nowhere and pulled her into an adjacent broom cupboard. She giggled as she recognised her captor's cheeky face as the door was slammed shut behind her, the light of a small candle illuminating the cramped space she now found herself in.

"Why hello there," she greeted playfully.

Anna responded by delicately leaning forward and meeting her lips slowly with Elsa's and tangling her fingers in the hair at the back of her neck. Elsa placed her hands on the girl's waist as they moved together and decided she could never get tired of this. For the past few days the pair had met a few times in a similar fashion, hiding away in alcoves of the castle, concealed in cupboards and behind locked doors. They had to be careful, and make sure no-one saw what they were doing, out of fear of being sent away from each other.

They had never gone any further than that up until that point, and while kissing was a major activity in their secret rendezvous, a great deal of time was also spent talking, as Elsa longed to find out as much as she possibly could from the Lady of the north.

They knew that what they were doing was considered wrong, and the thought brought Elsa's mind to Erik. She felt incredibly guilty about continuing to pursue the younger girl, mainly due to their conversation before the ball. She knew about Erik's admiration, yet she decided to go after her anyways. She had completely disregarded her brother's feelings and she felt terrible. The princess hoped that she would find the courage to inform her brother of her own feelings before anything got out of hand.

She felt Anna lean back and opened her eyes to see her opening her own eyes with a slightly dazed expression glazed over them.

"How was your meeting?" Anna asked, remaining in Elsa's hold and shifting her hands so they rested instead on her shoulders.

"Boring without you there." Elsa felt a small spike of self-pride as she saw Anna's smile widen at the comment.

"Glad I can help to ease the boredom then", Anna replied as she pulled Elsa in again. This time their movements were more urgent, and their kiss deepened almost immediately. It was getting rather hot and heavy before sound of a servant passing the cupboard door pulled them out of their embrace.

Both girls stood there for a moment catching their breath until Elsa sighed and accepted the fact that their little meeting had come to an end. She didn't want to risk anything. That servant could have opened the door to find them in a _very_ compromising position.

Elsa straightened out a few of the hairs on her head from the encounter before opening the door for her companion and allowing her to pass through first.

The pair began walking down the corridor to prepare for dinner when a footman rushed up to the women.

"Your highness, a messenger boy has returned from Belemere, he says he has urgent news."


	5. Something Missing

"Your highness, the messenger boy has returned from Belemere, he says he has urgent news."

The two women stole a glance at one another before hurriedly following the footman to the room where the messenger waited for them. Moving through the corridors of the castle, Elsa had expected the man to lead them to her father's study, and was confused when he altered their direction entirely.

Eventually they reached their destination and Elsa understood. She risked another glance over in Anna's direction. They had arrived at the door of the castle's infirmary, and a sense of foreboding fell over the princess as she thought over the implications of the situation.

The messenger had come from Belemere, and although she would like to believe that whatever injury the young man may have acquired was the result of an accident during his travels, there was also the possibility of it being the result of something more sinister. Elsa had listened during her various lessons on tactics and strategy. She knew that into order to obtain information about your enemies, the interception and prevention of communication between their forces was a crucial method, and was probably one of the most effective ways of breaking down the opposing forces.

Elsa's father has told her stories of when he was younger, and Arendelle was involved in cold war with a neighbouring kingdom. Tensions were high, and he informed her that he himself had been present when his father gave the orders for the capture of enemy couriers during their contracts.

With a graceful swoop of his arm the footman opened the door to for the two ladies and stood aside to let them enter.

The usual infirmary staff pottered around the neat, straight edged beds which lay in rows across the floor, some containing the wounded and sick, others sat gathering dust waiting for their next damaged occupant. Around a bed close to the far side of the room however, not one but both of her parents stood in a small crowd also consisting of Anna's father, the resident healer, and another man she had never met before. Long strides brought her closer and she was able to more clearly make out the form lying on the bed. The group continued to talk agitatedly amongst each other while the nurses and healer attempted to tend to the man.

She recognised the patient as one of the messengers who worked for the majority of the dignitaries around the continent.

She heard Anna gasp beside her as they reached the bedside and the boy came fully into view. His shirt had been removed and the nurses had tried in vain to remove the remnants of dirt and mud which seemed to be crammed into every nook and cranny all over his body, including the few scratches and scars dotting the skin before them. Most shockingly though, was the hand which lay across the young man's chest, disconnected from the rest of his arm.

"Oh, Elsa, Anna, you're here, wonderful. The boy wanted to wait until everyone was here before giving us the news," the king stated in monotone. Clearly her father also held concern about the situation presented to them. He spoke directly to the young man on the bed, "what is it you have to tell us?"

The messenger let out a little cough before shifting himself so he sat higher against the pillows behind him. "Lord Henrik sent me to inform the acting leaders of Belemere of their extended trip here. But when I arrived… the whole town had been savaged. Buildings were ransacked, some even damaged from the attack."

"What about people? Were there any people in or around the city?" The king questioned, the words rushing out in anticipation.

"There were… some bodies. The guards which took care of the front gate and a few stationed along the walls, but there was no sign of any residents, living or otherwise."

"What about any banners? Was there any indication of anyone taking hold of the city?" Henrik butted in. Elsa glanced up at the man to find the devastation written across his aging face. As far as Elsa knew, there were no other members of his own family had been present during the attack, which was lucky for them, but that couldn't soften the fact that his own home town, which was under his protection and governing, had fallen under siege.

"Yes, striped with maroon and dark blue, I didn't recognise it from anywhere within the kingdom or its neighbours, sir."

The group glanced around at each other in confusion. No such flag had been heard of before. Elsa could see Anna fidgeting out of the corner of her eyes and remembered the rather large hand-shaped elephant in the room.

"Excuse me, but may I ask what happened to your…" Anna's speech petered off, she didn't want to upset the man with her questioning but indicated at the severed limb regardless.

"Oh," the messenger's face turned sad as he raised the now stump-like wrist into the air, "on my departure from the city, I ran into what appeared to be a preliminary party of the attackers. They captured me, but didn't take much care in tying me to a tree which I shared with Mr Sörrenson here," he indicated to the previously unknown man next to the bed, "and we managed to escape after a few hours but not without me losing something on the way," he gestured to the arm with a sorrowful smirk. "You see a guard saw us as we were attempting to steal back my horse to ride, and his sword connected with my arm before we had the chance to get away."

Elsa felt terrible for the young man. The loss of a hand often meant the victim could no longer find work, and fell into poverty as a result. She hoped that perhaps because of this man's line of work, he may still be able to find work regardless of the missing hand.

The doctor suggested that his patient get some rest, so the group decided to move from the room and continue to discuss the matter in the king's study. Helena thanked Mr Sörrenson and instructed the footman to provide him a place to stay for the evening before following her family and their friends.

Once in the study Alexander ungracefully plonked himself in his chair and ran a hand through his slicked-back hair. "Who could these people be?" He questioned. As king it was his duty to be knowledgeable about any neighbouring kingdoms for the purpose of alliance and trade, and he was certain that he hadn't done anything to anger any of their partnering kingdoms, the ones he hadn't yet made correspondence with were a possibility, but what could Arendelle have done to cause an attack of this magnitude on a major city such as Belemere? "Have you any ideas Henry?"

Henrik knew the implicit question in the king's words. _Have _you_ done anything to upset these people?_ "I do not, Alexander, I had never heard of such a banner before now."

"I'll have Erik look into the matter, he excels in subjects such as this, and perhaps he could discover who the flag belongs to. Until then I'm not sure there is much we can do unless the attackers reveal themselves once again. Helena, can you send an alert to the other major cities informing them of the situation and to have their guards on the lookout for the flag in question? If they strike again we must know straight away and try to gain as much information as we can about these... attackers."

The queen nodded her understanding and left to prepare the letters to the other fiefs of the kingdom.

"If you don't mind, Alex, I would like to take my leave as well, I wish to speak to Anna in private."

"Very well," he paused, "I am very sorry for what has happened Henrik, we will try to get to the bottom of this and make sure it never happens again. For the time being you and Anna may remain at the castle," he finished with a sympathetic smile.

"Thank you," Henrik gave a small not before gesturing that Anna leaves the room in front of him, and followed.

This left Elsa and her father alone in the large study.

"This must be so horrible for them, I couldn't imagine how it would feel to have my entire home destroyed," Elsa lamented as she sat herself carefully in one of the chairs across from her father's desk.

The king could only offer an extended "hmm" in response, as his head travelled through all of the possibilities and repercussions of today's events.

The princess wondered at what the Jörgen's new living situation would become. At least until Belemere was returned to their control. Did the attackers intend to claim the entirety of the north because of their victory in its capital city? Or did they simply wish to take the city for their own reasons? There were too many possibilities.

Elsa felt a little guilty to admit that a part of her was a little glad that their family friends had nowhere to go, because it meant that they would remain here, and Anna wouldn't have to leave. The thought had been plaguing her thoughts for days now, and she knew that regardless of how close they had gotten during their stay here, they would eventually be separated.

Now, however, she had been given the gift of more time together, perhaps to find a way to make their situation work. It wasn't likely she would have to take the throne any time soon as Erik was first in line. If he were to bear sons, then they would supersede Elsa as well. Perhaps her parents would allow her to continue this relationship if she remained out of the public eye. She was only a princess after all and she was never one for much attention anyways.

"How long do you think the Jörgens will remain here?" Elsa asked her father.

"Probably for quite a while," her father answered absently, remaining deep in thought. "Although it's probably a good thing that they remain here, because of the wedding and all."

"Wedding?" Her eyes snapped up to meet the man's across the desk. "What wedding?"

* * *

Henrik led Anna out of the office and towards his own guest chambers. She followed silently behind, unusual for her but he was grateful. He needed time to think over all that had transpired over the day. He didn't think it had all quite sunk in just yet. Belemere had been taken from him, and no-one had any idea who or why. All he wanted to do was charge back over there and reclaim it for Arendelle, but the more rational part of his brain which sounded a lot like Alex urged him to think things through and stay put for the time being.

The pair took seats at the small circular table inside the room.

"We can get it back papa, we just need to be patient." Anna spoke to her father in a low tone.

"I'm sure we will Anna, thank you." Henrik was grateful of his daughter's consolation, and he knew she must have been curious as to why he had asked for her in private. His head fell into his right hand as he considered whether or not he was going to disclose this net piece of information.

"I worry about the townspeople, what could have become of them? Did they escape or…?" he couldn't finish the sentence. It was too horrible to think about. Anna questioning gaze pushed him to give her the whole story. "I apologize, I haven't been entirely honest…" he paused to look up once again at his daughter. If she seemed stoic before her eyes now shone with curiosity. The Lord of the North sighed deeply before continuing. "There was a woman from the town, Theresa. I… saw her occasionally."

Anna's eyebrow lifted slightly. "Oh? _Ohh._"

"Not in that way!" Henrik was quick to realise what conclusions she had jumped to. "We just spent time together around the city. But I'd grown quite fond of her as of late. I just worry at where she could be now. I hope that her and her family got away safely before the fighting began."

"Gods, I hope so too papa, I'm sure they will be fine though, the council will have safely gotten everyone away though, I'm sure of it."

"Thank you again Anna, I suppose all we can do now is be patient and reclaim the city when the time is right." Anna nodded in agreement before moving to leave the room for her own before dinner. "There is one other matter we need to discuss," Henrik held up a hand to still the girl before she left.

Confusion touched her features once again as she settled in her chair.

He had no idea how he was supposed to even begin this conversation. The king and queen had approached him earlier in the day with an urgent matter to discuss, and so, within the hour, his daughter's fate had been decided. He had to admit he felt a little uneasy about the whole affair. After all it was his child, and although he would have preferred a more natural method of finding a husband, who could be a better candidate than the prince? It meant that she would eventually become the queen, and he couldn't want anything more for his daughter.

The arrangement did however, leave an issue regarding who would be the heir of Belemere, when they eventually reclaimed it, obviously. The usual choice would have been Kristoff, but his disappearance left the task to the second born, Anna, but her new title as queen meant she would spend her days in the capital city, with her husband. It saddened Henrik greatly, but it meant that the city would be passed on to his next of command, and out of the family altogether.

"An agreement has been made, Anna, regarding the coming of age of Prince Erik." He readied himself before continuing. "You see… as he is next in line for the throne, he is required to take a wife in order to strengthen his claim on the throne should anything happen to Alex and Helena, god forbid. So they have decided that the person most suitable to become the queen in their passing would be you."

He could visibly see the shock and realisation strike her features as she took in this piece of information. "Wh…What?! _Me?_"

"Yes Anna, you."

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed, tell me what you think :)**


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